Skin resurfacing from a qualified dermatology office includes numerous treatment options to help rejuvenate your skin by gently removing the outer layers of skin so that the underlying, healthy skin is revealed. These treatments can also help your skin look more youthful because many of the treatments encourage the growth of new skin cells, and they can boost collagen production as well. If you’ve been researching the different skin resurfacing treatments, you’ve likely come across fractional skin resurfacing. This is a great option for many people, so here’s what you need to know about these treatments.
Fractional Lasers
There are different types of laser skin resurfacing techniques to know about. Ablative lasers actually remove the outer layer of skin so that the new skin underneath is revealed, and new skin cells grow. Non-ablative lasers deliver heat to the underlying skin to help boost collagen growth. Fractional lasers use a combination of both types of laser energy to achieve the same results. That means that the results are seen more quickly but with less downtime than what’s usually required after treatments with ablative lasers. There are also different treatment levels with fractional lasers, with deeper scars and wrinkles being treated with a CO2 laser, which also requires more recovery time following the procedure.
Treated Conditions
Fractional lasers can treat minor to moderate skin problems like acne scars, age spots, large pores, fine lines, and problems with skin tone. They can also treat some deeper wrinkles, surgical scars, and pigmentation irregularities. This treatment is good for most people, as long as they don’t have other sensitive skin issues like psoriasis or scleroderma.
Treatment Procedure
You shouldn’t wear any makeup or jewelry during the treatment. Since the procedure can be somewhat uncomfortable for patients, a numbing gel is applied about an hour before the treatment begins. Once this has taken effect, the numbing gel is removed, and a different gel is applied to help the laser move more smoothly across the surface of the skin. The laser is then applied to the treatment area, during which most patients just experience a warming sensation. The amount of laser passes the area receives depends on how aggressive your treatment goal is. Most people only receive 20-40 minutes of laser treatment time.
Recovery
When the treatment is over and the gel has been removed from the face, most patients will have red skin that’s warm to the touch. There will be some swelling and tenderness, much like sunburn, for a few days. Most people take a few days off work until the swelling and redness have gone down. This usually only takes up to seven days. Direct sun exposure should be avoided for a few months so that the results will be longer-lasting.
Seeing Results
Many people see results in just a few days following their treatment once the skin has returned to normal. The final results take a little longer to see because it takes time for the collagen and new skin cell production to increase. Most people see these final results in eight to twelve weeks following the treatment. These results can last for years, especially when occasionally utilizing other treatments like chemical peels. Most patients do a series of six laser treatments a few weeks apart to maximize results. To schedule your same-day appointment for fractional laser skin surfacing in San Diego, CA, contact Academic & Aesthetic Dermatology Consultants today.
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